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Flight school closing after 4 killed in Everglades crash

Posted at 8:49 AM, Jul 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-24 11:49:26-04

MIAMI (AP) — A flight school is closing down after two of its small planes crashed over the Florida Everglades,killing four people.

The Miami Herald reports that Dean International owner Robert Dean informed students and staff Monday during a memorial for 22-year-old Jorge Sanchez, 72-year-old Ralph Knight, 19-year-old Nisha Sejwal and 22-year-old Carlo Zanetti Scarpati.

Officials say a Piper PA-34 and a Cessna 172 collided in the air last Tuesday and went down about 9 miles west of Miami Executive Airport.

Records show the school's planes were involved in five accidents from 2007-2017, resulting in two fatalities. Federal Aviation Administration records show the flight school had 26 accident/incident reports since 2007.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of last week's crash.